IN THE GARDEN: Summer not best time for pruning roses, when heat already curtails new growth

These roses resemble the antique variety Cecile Bruner, also called Sweetheart rose; but there are thousands of rose varieties. (Special to the Democrat-Gazette)
These roses resemble the antique variety Cecile Bruner, also called Sweetheart rose; but there are thousands of rose varieties. (Special to the Democrat-Gazette)


Q: As you can see from [the] pictures, my roses are totally overgrown and desperately need pruning. I don't even know what kind of roses they are as we got them with the move to a new house. I know you can't give commercial recommendations, but can you give me any guidance as to who might be able to help me get these bushes under control? Any help or recommendation will be greatly appreciated.

A: It does look like your garden needs some pruning/thinning to give plants some space to grow. July is not the ideal time to prune roses. But if you don't mind not having many flowers until fall, you could do some. Plants typically don't grow by leaps and bounds in July and August — they are struggling to survive the heat. Therefore, they would put on little new growth, and that is where roses bloom. If you have all-season bloomers, the time to prune roses is in late February to early March before they kick into growing.

As to the type of rose you have, I asked an expert rosarian, and she guessed perhaps a Cecile Bruner rose, also called Sweetheart rose. They come in both climbing and bush forms. I had the climber version, and it only bloomed prolifically once a year (in the spring) with just a few sporadic blooms after that in the summer. I only pruned it once a year, after it had finished its flush of flowers.

As to who could do pruning in your landscape, contact some of the area yard crews or your local nurseryman and ask what services they provide. Also, I think it is always best to have in mind a goal of what you want the plants to look like after they have been pruned.


Q: Could you please identify this plant for me so I can research how to care for it? [The reader sent a photo.] Thank you. I love your column.

A: The plant in question is an impatiens, and this is one of the more sun-loving impatiens with larger leaves and flowers. Variegated foliage is also more common on Sunpatiens. They do need more sunlight than the common shade-loving impatiens, and if they have plenty of room to grow — in the ground or in a large container — they can take full sun. I would say that given the size of your containers, I would put your impatiens in full morning sun; but try to give them some afternoon shade or you will be watering twice a day.

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Q: We live in the Heights of Little Rock near woods and have just replanted beds around our house. Deer are eating the new Limelight hydrangeas. I know you've written about the deer problem before, but what is your best advice regarding this? We've lived in the same place for nearly 50 years and only in the past couple of years have deer been eating some of the blooms of annuals I put in pots around my porches and patios. Now we have this new problem. Thank you for any suggestions.

A: Each year, we get more and more problems with deer encroaching into urban gardens. Unfortunately, there is not one remedy that works for everyone, but there are many things you can try. There are quite a few deer repellents on the market, including Deer Repel, Plantskydd and Deer Scram. I have gardener friends that swear by one in particular, but then another gardener has no luck with any of them. There are motion sensors that turn on lights or water sprinklers, and some people have luck with them. Fishing line rigged at two heights around the garden (short, and then a bit taller) has proved highly effective, and is not readily visible to the deer — but nor are the lines visible to humans, a consideration if you walk through areas often. Deer fencing and electric fences are highly effective but often aren't practical in an urban setting. Experiment with various options to see if you can find one that works for you.

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Q: We bought a new house three years ago. With it came an evergreen tree in our landscape that we think is beautiful. Unfortunately, we just discovered that it is a green giant arborvitae that will grow about 3 feet a year to a height of 50 feet and a width of 20 feet. Since it is planted in a small yard close to our house and a fence, we need to remove it. Are there any feasible options to "rehome" this tree? We really hate to destroy it. It is approximately 15 feet tall now.

A: This is not the time to attempt relocating it, but in the fall or winter it could be moved, if you can find someone willing to. Find someone who has a small tree spade who could dig the tree up and move it. A tree spade is a machine with blades that can encircle the tree and dig down to contain and lift the whole rootball. Often the tree spade is mounted on a small tractor or loader. Call tree companies or nurseries in your area to see if they are interested.

Retired after 38 years with the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service, Janet Carson ranks among Arkansas' best known horticulture experts. Her blog is at arkansasonline.com/planitjanet. Write to her at P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, AR 72203 or email [email protected]


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